Above is one of my latest works called Riverwood No. 1. It is currently on display at the Gallery on the Green, in Canton, CT along with four other works. It is available for purchase ($137 plus 6% CT state sales tax) through the Gallery. You may contact them at (860) 693-4102.

30% of the sale goes to benefit the Canton Artists Guild.

UPDATE: I'm happy to say that this piece, and another one, sold today at the opening. Please stay tuned for postings of others and for my new website and blog.

Paintings and Sketches from My Year in RomeMood: on fireNow Playing: U.S. Senate Judicial Filibuster Hearings on C-SpanTopic: My Art
I came across some of these paintings and sketches that I made during my year in Rome. I studied there during my junior year at the University of Notre Dame. Coming across them brings up a lot of old memories.

I hope you enjoy them!

When I studied in Rome I lived on Piazza Paradiso, right around the corner from the Campo Dei Fiori and it's farmer's market.

Campo Dei Fiori, watercolor, Brendan Miggins, 1985

Campo Dei Fiori, pen & ink, Brendan Miggins, 1985

Il Campodoglio, watercolor, Brendan Miggins, 1985

Untitled Church, pencil, Brendan Miggins, 1985

Palazzo Farnese, pen & ink, Brendan Miggins, 1984

Our architecture studio was a few blocks away from Piazza Paradiso on Via Monterone. this was the view outside our door.

Via Monterone, watercolors, Brendan Miggins, 1985

All images are Copyright 1984 or 1985 Brendan Miggins. All Rights Reserved.

Lightning No. 7Mood: happyNow Playing: WMVY internet radioTopic: My Art
Another lightning study. When I do these I always think of New Mexico, where I first got the idea for these studies... of that moment when lightning strikes.

This one is sold. It was framed traditionally; the frame and mat were selected to match the decor of the room. Usually I suggest more contemporary framing, but I wanted to show this because I think a lot of my work looks good framed traditionally as well (like a "modern master"), and thereby can be used in tradtionally decorated environments, not just contemporary ones.

MIGGINS STUDIO ARTS- Sales Gallery.Mood: happyTopic: My Art
Please visit my new Sales Gallery website, where you can purchase items with your credit card. Check back often, as I will be adding new items weekly. (Click on the link below).

My New Rendering BusinessMood: happyNow Playing: silenceTopic: My Art
For a while now, I have been entertaining the idea of starting a home rendering business, but never knew quite how to approach it. Very recently, I had the idea of marketing this service directly to realtors, who may offer home renderings as gifts to their clients at home closings. As I see it there could potentially be a very high demand for good quality renderings in his kind of market, and even national sales ability if I use the internet as a sales tool. Over the weekend I spoke to my neighbor Ann King, who is a top-notch realtor with Prestige Properties. She was very encouraging of this idea.

Currently, I am developing a group of rendering types and a price structure. I will offer both watercolor and pen & ink renderings. Perhaps other types in the future. I am in the process of developing samples of the watercolor renderings, but recently I came across this pen which will serve as my model (at least technically) for my pen & ink home renderings.

My plan is to market to realtors, have a web presence marketing through Craiglist, and maybe Ebay, Overstock, or other art auction sites. Hopefully, I will be able to get a secondary market as well, of referrals from the realtor's clients who received the renderings.

I will be creating a website with samples, prices, and a way for people to order. Until then, you can Contact me to discuss.

P.S. This style of drawing comes directly from my training as an architect. I realize that it's quite a different style of drawing from my chosen style of expressive artwork. But, as Andy Warhol would say, an artist doesn't have to be just one thing. Picasso could draw in a very detailed "tradtional" style. But it's not what his soul was crying out for ultimately.

I actually enjoy both styles of drawings. For me they each provide very different personal benefits that the other does not. So I think I can have the best of both worlds this way. In the meantime, it would be really nice to get paid to do it.

Lightning StudiesTopic: My Art
This is one of the earliest images in my Lightning Studies series. To date none of the images in this series have been available for public sale. I will begin offering this and other images for sale shortly. Keep an eye out for the link to my gallery pages (currently under construciton) in the next few weeks.

Still in the process of moving. It's slow going. I may be down for a while, as I make the transition to the internet connections at my new address. In the meantime, I've always loved this sketchbook entry, capturing several ideas at once. Thought that I'd share it with you all.

Long lost sketches from RomeNow Playing: good old fashioned silenceTopic: My Art
Recently, I came across a long lost sketchbook from the year I spent in Rome (September 1984 through July of 1985). In them were some rather unfinished sketches, not my best, but nonethelsss have a nice quality to them. Just fresh, raw documentation. They were in a small spiral bound sketchbook that I bought one saturday when I was walking around the city. All the sketches were from this single day-long walk, stopping at points to document and spend time in various plazas and spaces. It was such a pleasure to see them again. They brought up long forgotten memories of that wonderful time I spent during my Junior year abroad.

Flag Landscape No. 1Topic: My Art
Today I came across this, my first official Flag Landscape. Over the years, I have developed this idea with countless variations. Nice to see where it all began. Incidentally, this is an abstracted New Mexico landscape.

A special thank you to Lorna!Topic: My Art
I want to extend special thanks to Lorna, one of my best clients. Lorna has purchased several of my works, and has been a great champion for me on eBay and other auction sites. She's offered me important advice on how to make it in the online auction world. I appreciate it very much. Thank you Lorna!

Celebration of DemocracyTopic: My Art
This was the very first flag image that I ever painted. Loosely inspired from Jasper Johns, it was painted very quickly; created intuitively in the moment as many of my works are. Incidentally, this was my very first use of acrylic paints.

Over the years this image has become one of my favorites. I am posting it here today in celebration of our most American of traditions and rights. The right to vote. Everyone, please get out there tomorrow and vote with an informed mind.

In honor of GeorgiaTopic: My Art
The artist Georgia O'Keefe has been a great influence in my life. Her unique art inspired new directions in mine, and continues to inspire me today. Her choice in making New Mexico her home influenced my own move there in 1990. Even though I moved back to my home state (Connecticut) in 1996, I still carry many of my New Mexican sensibilites with me to this day.

Georgia lived a great big life on those New Mexican plains. My life there was also very big, and so I miss New Mexico tremendously. Perhaps I will return one day to the Land of Enchantment. Time will tell.

KnotsTopic: My Art
Recently, I have begun making studies of knots, in various shapes, patterns and combinations. Whenever I do these there is a sense of my being compelled to do them which I have found curious. Then I realized that, given my own ancestry, this makes perfect sense as an artistic subject. Namely that Celtic art had historically a fascination with the complex patterns and shapes of knots. Perhaps one of my own Irish ancestors had been one of those Celtic artists intricately illuminating those now unmistakable manuscripts?

EtherealTopic: My Art
Recently, I have been enjoying the process of rediscovering many of my early images, from the late 1980's and early 1990's.

The image below is a monotype print of a single rose. I did three different monotype images of that same rose in single afternoon. Each image had a slightly different interpretation of the subject, which subtly varied the compositions. Together the three, combined with the effect of the monotype printing process, had an ethereal quality; hence the name.

Two of these images sold. One remains in my possession. The image below is the very first one that I did, and sold in 1994. I will photograph the one I still have, and update this entry to include it. Unfortunately though, I do not have a photograph of the third one (now sold)....Shame on me!

I have been an actively producing artist for over twenty years, during which time I have been exhibited and collected internationally. I am a largely self-taught artist. My professional education and training was in architectural design, for which I had an intensive interest since I was a young child. Born a natural explorer, I have always actively self-taught myself many disciplines that I was naturally drawn to including: art, architecture, interior design, graphic design, music composition and music production among others.

I create my images spontaneously and intuitively, oftentimes through meditation and prayer. My art is as much a spiritual practice as well as a livelihood. The sources of my imagery vary and come from both the inner and the outer worlds. My inward focused images occur as emotional, psychological and spiritual 'scapes. Those with a more outward focus occur as studies of natural phenomenon like lightning & the moment when lightning strikes, light reflections on the surface of water, the flickering of candlelight, etc.. I feel, I'm sure as many artists do, that I observe what others do not see. I believe my imagery strives to make the 'Unseen' seen, make the 'Invisible' visible.

Formally within my imagery, I enjoy studying the vibration of color and light, as well as the fluctuations of scale. Often my images appear both very, very large, and very, very small at the same time; occurring as simultaneous macrocosms and microcosms.

I use a variety of mediums including oil & acrylic paintings, watercolor, soft and oil pastels, monoprints, pencil charcoal, sculpture, and digital art. Currently I am working on several series of small works on paper in oil pastel and watercolor.

A SquibbleMood: happyTopic: My Art
I came across this cute little drawing that I did about 14 years ago. It's the first of my 'Squibbles' as I call them... cute, little, drawings that are bright and cheerful. Enjoy!